The home of the West Michigan Whitecaps (High A; Midwest League) has a new name after a 10-year naming-rights deal with Lake Michigan Credit Union: LMCU Ballpark.
“I am confident the Whitecaps could not have found a better fit for this franchise-defining partnership moving into the future, than with Lake Michigan Credit Union,” said Joe Chamberlin, CEO of the West Michigan Whitecaps, via press statement. “First and foremost, LMCU and the Whitecaps share a very important core value, a passion for improving the West Michigan community. They are a truly local customer- and community-focused organization that has built their brand on service, growth, and helping businesses and families thrive. While we are excited for the future, we are also very thankful for our past as the naming rights for our ballpark have been with Fifth Third Bank since day one. I want to thank them for our long partnership and their continued commitment to the Whitecaps organization and this community. I am so excited for our fans, their members, and the combined community impact this new partnership with LMCU will deliver not only in 2021, but also well into the future. We are all looking forward to celebrating a new chapter of Whitecaps Baseball at LMCU Ballpark this season.”
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with the Whitecaps, thereby linking two well-known and well-respected organizations, and we are excited about supporting a beloved West Michigan institution and favorite West Michigan community entertainment destination,” said Sandra Jelinski, LMCU President and CEO, via press statement. “The positive impact the Whitecaps have on our community is something that I have admired for the last 27 years, certainly from a business perspective but also as a longstanding member of the community. We value the ongoing success of the Whitecaps as a premier entertainment and community-focused organization and are exceptionally pleased to partner with them for all of their banking needs. From one homegrown organization to another, we see this as a perfect fit for both of our teams, and we are excited about the future opportunities this partnership holds.”
The ballpark opened in 1994 as Old Kent Park and was recently named Fifth Third Ballpark.